Top construction



P, E. BREXQEMAN TOP CONSTRUCTION Original Filed March 17. 1926 INVENTO 26 ATTORNEY;

Patented Jan. 17, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PAUL E. BRENEMAN, O1 DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO THE STUDEBAKER GOR- PORATION, OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA, AND DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

TOP CONSTRUCTION.

Application filed March. 17, 1926, Serial No..95,315. Renewed January 10, 1927.

This invention relates to vehicle bodies of the enclosed type, and particularl to unprovements for the tops thereof, t e main object being to provide a new and novel side rail construction therefor, which Wlll be easy to assemble, light in weight and economical to manufacture.

Another object is to provide a top for a closed vehicle body, with side rails composed of sheet metal longitudinal side members and wooden longitudinal tacking members.

A. further object is to provide a vehicle top of the permanent type with a hollow metallic side rail comprising longltudlnal frame and shaping members rolled together along the outer edges thereof to provide a drip trough and secured along the inner edges thereof to a common tacking strip of wood, the frame member being shaped to provide a suitable door stop;

These being among the objects of the present invention, the same consists of certain features of construction and combines tions of parts to be hereinafter described with reference to the accompanying drawing, and then claimed, having the above and other objects in view. 0

In the accompanying drawing WhlCh illustrates a suitable embodiment of the present invention, and in which like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views:

Figure 1 is a perspectlve view showing a portion of a vehicle body having a permanent type top attached thereto which 1s provided with side rails embodying the present invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged perspective sectional view of one of the side rails taken an transversely thereof adjacent one of the top cross-struts.

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view of one of the side rails taken longitudinally through one of the cross-struts, showing the 5 method of securing the same to the side rail.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary plan view-of one of the cross-struts and tacking strip.

7 Fi m5 is an enlarged fragmentary section view more clearly showing the connection between the side rail and one of the cross-struts.

The top, as shown in Figure 1 has the shape of the usual type of permanent top and is suitably supported by the back panel 11 and pillars 12 which are embodied in the vehicle body. The top structure is built up as a unlt to consist of a pair of spaced hollow sheet metal side rails 13, spanned by a number of regularly spaced cross-struts 14, a front end member 15 and a rear end member 16.

Each side rail 13 as illustrated in Figures 2 and 3, is composed of two main members,

herein called a base member and a top side quarter member 18, and common longitudinal tacking strips 19. Both the base member and side quarter member 18 are of sheet metal and may be very economically produced by stamping from single sheets of suitable metal. v

The base member is, in reality, the support for the complete top on the vehicle body andis shaped with a horizontal ortion 20, to which the body pillar brac ets and the like (not shown) are secured, having an upwardly extending marginal flange 21 formed along the outer edge thereof. The metal at the inner edge of the horizontal portion 20 is bent downwardly, then curved substantially back upon itself to provide a downwardly projecting door stop 22 and continues upwardly to provide a vertical wall 23 terminating in a wide hori-- zontal inwardly turned flange 24.

As previously stated, a plurality of regularly spaced cross-struts 14 extend transversely between the side rails 13, the ends thereof being supported by and secured to the upper surface of the flange 24 of the base member. These cross-struts are preferably of sheet metal and trough sha ed in form, the sides having outwardly flanged upper edges 25. It will be seen, however, that they'may be of any other shape and may be made of some material other than sheet metal. Longitudinally extending tacking strips 19, mentioned heretofore are ositioned on the horizontal flange 24 o the base member and extend from the side of 24 and into the block 26 for holding the same in place, or may be firmly secured by welding the same thereto, depending on the ri idity desired.

. flange 3O whic he side quarter member 18'lends a neat and more finished appearance to the side of the top as well as imparting strength thereto, and is referably coved or formed with a rounded surface as shown in the drawings. The lower or outer edge of the side quarter member 18 extends horizontally outwardly for 'a sli ht distance and terminates in an u war y extending marginal provides a longitudinal trough 29 between it and the main body of the quarter member for catching all water and rain which drips from the top and 'des it to the rear end thereof where it is c l ih charged. The side qc'luarter 18 is rigidly secured along its outer e ge to the base member by turning the edge of the flange 21 over and clamping it against the upstanding leg 30 of the trough 29.

Conventional top constructions of the past used a combination molding and drip trough longitudinally secured along the sides thereof to catch the water and rain which dripped therefrom. The trough 22 just described, successfully eliminates the necessity of such a separate trough and molding, thereby providing a much more economical and desirable construction.

The upper or inner edge 31 of the quarter member 18 extends over to lie on the up er faces of the tacking strips 19, tongues 33 eing formed on the extreme edge thereof which are welded to the flanged edges 25 of the cross-struts-M.

Suitable top covering 34 covers the structure and is tacked to the tacking stri s 19, a molding 35 of suitable design also ein secured to the tacking strips 19 to conce the edge of the top covering and to give a more finished appearance to the entire structure. i

From the foregoing description, it will be seen the present construction has marked advantages. over constructions previously used, and that it'is simple and economical to manufacture and assemble and light in weight.

Formal changes may be made in the specific embodiment of the invention described without de arting from the spirit and substance of t e broad invention the scope of wliiich is commensurate with the appended 0 ms.

What I claim is:

1. A vehicle to comprising hollow metallic side rails, eac having a Z-shaped base member and a rounded quarter member, spaced trough-shaped cross-struts holding said side rails in spaced relationship, tacking strips positioned between the free ends of said base and quarter members intermediate said crossstruts, and tacking blocks positioned in the troughs of said crossstruts to effect a continuation of said tacking strips.

2. In a vehicle top of the permanent type, spaced side rails, each comprising a Z- s aped metallic base member and a coved metallic quarter member secured together along their outer marginal edges to provide a drip trough and spaced at their inner edges, sheet metal cross-struts secured to both said base members and said quarter members between the free ends thereof, and tacking strips also secured between the free ends of said base members and quarter members intermediate said cross-struts.

3. In a permanent type vehicle top, Z- shaped sheet metal base members, troughshaped crossstruts secured at intervals to the inner marginal ed e of each of said base members, tacking mem are positioned on said edge to extend between said cross struts, blocks positioned in the troughs of said crossstruts to effect a continuation of said tacking members, and rounded sheet metal side quarter members secured along their outer edges to the outer edges of said base members and secured alon their inner edges to both said tacking mem rs and said cross-struts.

4. In a vehicle top of the ermanent type, 2- haped metallic base mem ers, door sto 8 formed integral with said base members bending a portion of the metal thereof downwardly and back upon itself, crossstruts secured at intervals to the inner marginal edge of said base members, tacking strips secured to said marginal edges between said cross-struts, and side uarter members secured along their outer e ges to the outer marginal edges of said base members and secured along their inner marginal edges to both said tacking stri s and said cross-struts, said cross-struts an said tacking stri s holding said inner edges of said bfilse an quarter member in spaced relations 1p.

5. In a vehicle top of the permanent ty spaced side rails, each comprisin a meta 'c base member and acoved meta lic quarter III member secured together along their outer and said quarter member, and tacking strips secured to the free ed s of said base member and quarter mem r intermediate said cross-struts.-

6. In a vehicle top of the nermanent type,

sheet metal base members, cross-struts secured at intervals to the inner marginal edge of each of said base members, tacking members positioned on said edge to extend between said cross-struts, and rounded sheet metal side quarter members secured alon their outer edges to the outer edges of said base members and secured along their inner edges to both said tacking members and said cross-struts.

7. In a vehicle top of the permanent type, sheet metal base members, trough-shaped cross-struts secured to the inner marginal edge of each of said base members, tacking secured in the troughs-of said cross-struts to eifect a continuation of said tacking members, and rounded sheet metal side quarter members secured along their outer edges to the outer edges of saidbase members and secured along their inner edges to both said tacking members and said cross-struts.

Signed by me at Detroit, Michigan, U. S. A., this 12th day of March, 1926.

PAUL E. BRENEMAN. 

